getting a truck "old"...

[RedZ71]

most of us have trucks that are 35-40 years old. my 71 is fairly solid, needs some work, but i have no doubts that i can bring it back to the condition that it will be brand new again someday.

sometimes i wonder what my 2001 silverado will look like in 35 years. will it survive? if it does, will it need restoring? will i be able to maintain the level of anality over the next 30 years to keep parking it at 'wife complaining' distance from the doorway of the mall?

i wish i knew someone personally who had a vehicle that lasted that long, so i could try to learn how they did it. how many "falls of the axe" have each of our trucks dodged over their lifetime, in order to make it to the age they are now?

['68 longbed]

sounds like you have the right mindset. most of us buy a new vehicle thinking of what it will be worth when we trade it in in a few years.

maintenence , 'bout all you can do. stay ahead of the little chips , and rust etc.

look at all the places you have to fix on the old trucks, chances are that the new ones will have similar problems. just stay ahead of it.

[cst69]

Very good question. My guess is it will take a pride filled auto enthusist to keep a truck in vintage condition 30 years from its date of birth. I base a lot of this on my own 1989 chevy pickup, which is quickly approching 20 years old. It is a southern truck but has rusted cab corners, a dented hood, door & tailgate. The value of these model trucks are anywhere from 2 - 4 grand which is just a blown engine or expensive transmission fix away from being not worth the money to fix, as some people say. I happen to belive the 68 - 72 and 88 - 98 chevy / gmc trucks are the best design and durable trucks built. I guess that is why I just decieded to put a new Jasper 350 in mine and plan on patching up the body work until I have time to resto/mod it in the future. I have a 68 I am working on also, just to even things up. It's all in what you value....

[John Knight JR.]

I have a 1970 4x4 3/4 ton chevy for 27 years . I restored it two time in 27 years rusted out bed & cab . I have 350 motor bored 30 over for 27 years. 70 knight

[68GMC454]

well i have only had one new truck in 20 yrs..will never own another one..my trucks are usually 20 yrs old when i buy them..now the faimly car is usually no older than 5 yrs old when i buy them...but i hate the new trucks,,think the chevys are the ugliest things on the road, and in 20 yrs when they get to my price range, i still will not buy one of them..same goes for the other to...the 67 to 71 and the early 80's are the best looking trucks made,,well next to the 50 chevy..dont get mad about my comments on the new trucks, just my opioion on them...in 20 yrs i will still own 1 or both of the truck i got now..how..to attached to them to get rid of them, and willing to tell a judge to kiss my butt if ordered to surrender one of them...

[CrashEd]

Most of the older trucks that are still around and original were like the 72 my dad bought new and i have now.It was a farm truck that set in the garage waiting for either hay time or harvest time to go to work. It looks real rough but only has 80.000 miles on it.
Ed